- MOROCCO. 7 



is to contract with a respectable Moor, who will -usually defray 

 the entire expenses, including hire of baggage, animals, servants, 

 cook, and meals, exclusive of wine, at the rate of five dollars 

 a head per diem. 



As far as I have had opportunities of judging, I have reason 

 to consider travelling in Morocco to be unattended with any 

 danger near the coast, but not east of Tetuan, in the Riff 

 country, or in mountainous districts ; and to Englishmen the 

 natives are certainly better inclined than to any other European 

 nation. The late Sultan, however, issued an edict to the effect 

 that he would not hold himself responsible for the life or 

 property of any Christian who at the time of any outrage should 

 be unattended by a Moorish soldier ; and a mounted soldier to 

 act as guard can always be procured on application to the 

 Consul of the nation to which the applicant belongs. Any 

 party intending to make an expedition further than ten or 

 fifteen miles from Tangier should provide themselves with this 

 necessary functionary, to whom they must pay one dollar a day. 

 This sum is generally considered to be exorbitant ; and it 

 certainly is so in a country where the necessaries of life are 

 far cheaper than in any country in Europe. The real truth, 

 however, is that the Moorish authorities throw as many diffi- 

 culties as they possibly can in the way of inquisitive European 

 travellers, well knowing that, were the interior thoroughly 

 opened up, the vile system of oppression and misgovernment to 

 which it is and has been for so long a victim would vanish 

 before the opinion of the civilized world. 



The vicinity of Tangier is as good a ground for the ornitho- 

 logist as can be wished anywhere ; but it has been a great deal 

 worked up by Olcese, who succeeded Favier as the naturalist of 

 Tangier. About twelve miles to the south are the lakes of Sharf 

 el Akab, well worth visiting for aquatic birds. The country 

 beyond this to Larache is not good until within the neighbour- 

 hood of that town, where there is plenty of both marshy and 



